Reviews

Just had the opportunity last night to see this movie. This was not a happy film. In fact there was so little sunshine in this story that I half expected to walk out of the theater into a driving thunderstorm!

This picture is so good, but watching it is emotionally agonizing. Don't let that detract you from wanting to see it though, it really is an excellent film.

It is well photographed and directed, but the real strength of this piece lies directly in the capable hands of the actors cast here. Each person brought gritty reality to their roles; the twisted, sad, pathetic and otherwise harrowing aspects of reality. The folks at the Oscars missed a beat by nominating only one of the actors (Halle Berry) for a 'best of' nod - Peter Boyle, Heath Ledger, BBT & even Sean Combs all gave outstanding performances. I'm reminded of The Apostle in the approach to the telling of this story - it's as if you sit down in the theater and somehow find yourself inside these people's lives & minds.

This movie deserves nothing less than a 10. It is not fun, mindless, harmless entertainment; if you're looking for that don't even think of seeing this film. If you're into pictures that say something important and say it well, you will really enjoy this one.

At the request of my friends & family over the recent holidays I went to see this film. Though it's not my usual M.O., I really enjoyed this movie.

I've not seen the original 'Rat Pack' version of the movie (except bits and pieces), so a comparison between the two is not possible on my part.

This version I found playful and relatively harmless, and the plot twists are undeniably clever. The comradery between the actors is the most entertaining part of this film in my opinion. Elliot Gould's part had to be my favorite character if forced to pick, followed in close order by Clooney, Pitt & Damon. Actually all of the actors did an excellent job with their roles.

This movie won't change the world, or probably change your mind about anything significant, but the plot is fun, the cinematography is excellent, the actors all shine in their roles, and on occasion that is enough.

My but there's been a great many user comments on this movie. The few things I can think of to add to the mix are some rebuttals to the poo-poo'rs & negative commentors, in case there is anyone reading these reviews in consideration of whether or not they're going to see the film.

The plot does not drag at all in my opinion - you do have to have at least 10 living brain cells to be able to catch the twists however. Blanchett, Thornton & Willis all make believers out of you as soon as any of them open their mouthes. The chemistry between the three is evident from the get-go. Each of these actors are excellent and their collective bodies of work speak for themselves.

Myself and my companions were delighted with the film and each of us would be willing to plunk down our $7.75 again to see it on the big screen. The comedy is fresh and sidesplitting, the romance is sweet without being sickening (well, Cate Blanchett painting Billy Bob Thornton's toenails red was really the limit!) The plot moved at a perfect pace & kept you guessing 'til right before the finale'.

If you're on the fence about this one, don't be afraid to jump down & head to the theater - hurry up and catch it before it's gone!

How, I would like to know, can an actor say so little and still convey so much? Billy Bob Thornton's voice can be heard almost constantly as the narrator in this film, however the dialog he speaks on-camera probably wouldn't fill two pages. But you're never in doubt somehow what Ed Crane is thinking and feeling throughout this movie. BBT's command of his facial expressions are a thing of beauty and a joy forever.

The Coen Brothers have successfully created a modern-day film noir. All of the classic elements are there, except they're better, clearer and even more everything than the originals of this genre.

Frances McDormand, James Gandolfini & Michael Badalucco all turned in exemplary supporting roles, but somehow Katherine Borowitz's performance as Ann Nirdlinger stole the supporting actor spotlight in my opinion. Her badly frightened/super uptight facial expressions provided the few smiles that this movie offered. Her kooky speech after her husband's untimely death was perfect.

If you like a film that moves at a leisurely pace, and relies on the strength of the story and the actors telling it, rather than explosions, explicit sex and/or raunchy violence - you must not miss this movie. I gave it at 10.

This movie was disappointing. It lacked genuineness. Yes, the attention to detail regarding the recreation of the Titanic was excruciatingly correct and that I can't complain about. But, at the heart of the matter, the cheese ball romance between the main characters ruined this movie for me.

Ms. Winslet and Mr. DiCaprio's characters were too far-fetched and both of their performances seemed overblown and campy. After watching the Oscar acceptance speech of their illustrious director, I no longer wonder why. Some people may think of Mr. Cameron as a 'mad genius' - my opinion is that he's just a megalomaniacal freak. To be fair, the crowd I went with to watch this flick all cried at what were supposed to be the touching moments - so perhaps I'm a little too hard boiled.

The one bright spot I can think of was Kathy Bates performance as the unsinkable Molly Brown. She is a fantastic actress, and if her performance was campy and over the top, that's because it was supposed to be & she had it down in spades. Overall this movie was a dry, disappointing experience.

When I saw this film at the movies, my friends and I were all set to see some film about a giant boat sinking and tragic love, blah blah. Lucky for us, the seats were all taken for that one, and so we agreed on Good Will Hunting, with all but one of us not knowing who these Damon & Affleck people were.

This theater was also filled up (to start with anyway). Let me say to anyone reading this that I live in the buckle of the Bible Belt. That being said, the first 10 minutes or so of this film saw a gradual emptying of the seats, with many a disgusted snort from my fellow moviegoers. The so-constant-it-was-mind-altering barrage of the "F" word was hard to take at first. Not that we'd never heard it before, but it being used so carelessly and often was shocking. However, being too cheap to try and buy tickets for a later showing of Titanic and too chicken to ask for our money back, we endured. After my head stopped swimming & I refocused, I was really genuinely glad we stayed.

As aforementioned, this was the first I'd heard of Matt Damon or Ben Affleck. I found both of these young men to be excellent actors and they have proven that many times since this film. The fact that they wrote this screenplay and saw it through to production and were able to star in it is pretty amazing also. My favorite part of this movie had to be the scenes between Mr. Damon's character and that of Robin Williams. Robin Williams is simply divine, in my humble opinion he is almost without equal in his chosen profession. He and Mr. Damon moved us all to both laughter and tears. Each actor cast in this film played their parts with excellence. Good Will Hunting is superbly written, fantastically well acted, directed and the cinematography was wonderful also. The cursing, in retrospect, was really part of the vehicle that gave you a sense of place in the film. I've since learned (from a native of the Boston area) that this is the way certain groups of folks from around there commonly speak. I hope you will excuse our ignorance here below the Mason-Dixon line. If you are from the South and were warned away - don't be afraid, this really is a mighty fine f**kin' film!!

Wow. Just rented this movie last night & I was not prepared for the nauseating, over the top violence portrayed here. While this was of course just fiction, it was very true to life - a part of this life that is well, hard to face. Call me a weenie, but I found myself hiding my eyes for many of the scenes in this film. The murder scenes in this story weren't like the ones in films such as Scream or any of the Friday the 13ths that are so unrealistic that you can just laugh/gag at them & then forget about it. They were horrible, terrifying & realistic. You could easily believe that this is how and why people involved in drug trafficking end up dead.

Violence (gulp) aside, this film was well written and well acted. The director lost me a few times. That isn't to say I couldn't follow the story line, I just didn't like the way some of the scenes played out. Yes I will openly admit to bias here, but I can't help thinking that if Billy Bob Thornton would've been the director as well as one of the writers and a principle actor, this film would've been much better. Overall though it was a solid effort, but I would not recommend this movie to folks who can't stomach wickedly realistic depictions of murders and violence.

It was really exciting to know that a major motion picture was going to be shot in and around my adopted hometown. The fact that many Country Music artists were going to be included in the cast further "upped" the buzz back when this film first came out. Unfortunately that buzz quickly turned in to a full fledged razzberry when we locals starting going to the theaters.

The story falls flat on its face on many levels. The unrealistic portrayal of what its like to come to Music City pursuing a career in the industry was disappointing at best. The silly, one dimensional love story between Mr. Phoenix's and Ms. Mathis' characters left you with a sort of sick feeling, like when they put way too much of that butter stuff on your popcorn. The acting was not the problem here - it was the material that these actors were given.

On a brighter note, the inimitable K.T. Oslin most assuredly rocked in her role as the hostess of the BlueBird's open mic night - and her character was very true to life of the real hostess at this legendary place. Sandra Bullock's character was a little crazy bit of comedy relief thrown in to the mix. Ms. Bullock was fresh, fun and believable in her part, as she usually is. On the strength of Ms. Oslin's and Ms. Bullock's performances, I gave this an overall rating of 7. If you're a music industry hopeful looking to this film to give you an idea of what to do when you get here - keep looking. If you're a big K.T./Sandra B. Fan, you'll probably find this film tolerable like I did.

No, I'm not a Bible-Thumper. However, Joseph is one of the most precious examples of a man who trusted God with everything he had and did, and how God was with him throughout his life.

Joseph, King of Dreams doesn't quite reflect that total, precious trust in my opinion. However, this is a children's animated story and I know that some liberty has to be taken to get the point across to kids in a way that they will be both entertained, and remember well. This story does achieve that goal in spades. My nieces and nephew are glued to the set whenever we put this movie in, and my oldest niece can almost recite it verbatim.

I can just imagine how hard it must be for the actors to put life and feeling into an animated character, and all of the actors who lent their voices were positively excellent. I gave this film an overall rating of 8 - if you have little children and are wondering how in the world to introduce your kids to the greatest story ever told, here's your answer for a stupendous start.

Willie is one of our National treasures in my opinion. I suppose some people would disagree, and that's o.k., you have every right to be wrong.

The best part of this film, I felt, was the fairly much realistic portrayal of what life is like on the road for entertainers. Or, more accurately what is was like back when this film was made. Who better to play the lead than one who's probably logged a million or so miles out there between the ditches? I also loved Slim Pickens performance, and the camaraderie between Willie and Slim was hilarious and heartwarming.

I can't imagine anyone in the world who hasn't seen this film. It should be required viewing for any new converts to Country Music. I gave this film a rating of 9 - shaving off one point for the aggrandizement of boozing/pill popping and womanizing. But you gotta love Willie et al in spite of it. Maybe because of it, who knows?

Penny Marshall is one of the few commercially successful female directors, and in general I think she is wonderful. This particular film has several good moments, but on the whole was a rather drab affair.

Drew Barrymore certainly had her part down. She shows much versatility with her acting abilities in this movie. I have not read this book, but watching the film I couldn't help thinking this would be an interesting read but it didn't translate well onto the big screen.

Though there is high drama in many spots, the movie overall just drizzled along and then petered out in the end, with an unsatisfying final scene between the lead character and her father (played exceedingly well by the way by James Woods).

The best I can possibly say about this film is the acting is very good throughout and Ms. Marshall's direction is terrific in spots, less so in others, and you might want to wait 'til this one's at Blockbuster to view it.

I don't generally go in for this type of film - you know, where there's more slobber-knocking and high speed chases than dialog and actual meaning. But I did find a lot to like in this film in spite of it all. Patrick Swayze carries this film for the most part - the rest of the actors did give it their best and generally held their ends up respectably.

Randy Travis, bless his heart. He's one of my all time favorite singers, and I've (gulp) watched just about every piece of acting he's done so far. I will say that in each film I've seen him in he gets a little better, and he managed to pull off several comedic scenes very believably in this movie. (the 'no fart zone' warning was the best.)

There's lots of high energy action here, and if you like that kind of thing you'll probably really enjoy this film. I like Patrick Swayze and Randy Travis in general, so it was easy to overlook the little "flaws in the slaw" and just have a good time with it.

It takes incredible ability to effectively play a mentally handicapped person in my opinion, and Mr. DiCaprio nailed his role in this movie. The quality of Leonardo DiCaprio's work after this film seemed pale by comparison. Johnny Depp was his usual wonderful self and brought light a life to the lead character.

I think Darlene Cates portrayal of Ms. Grape (Moma) was phenomenal. I don't know much about Ms. Cates but I understand this was her first movie role. From personal experience I know what terrible prejudice she must've faced just by being who she was/is.

The story moves at an almost imperceptible pace at times - but it's so good that you don't mind. The directing and cinematography are both wonderful in this film. If you, like me have a penchant for movies that are not the same old same old, you will really enjoy this one. It's funny and happy and sad and just generally awe inspiring.

This film was amazingly well acted and filmed. It plays like a very intimate stage play. Sissy Spacek & Anne Bancroft each present their characters so seamlessly and flawlessly that I left the theater wondering if they actually were mother and daughter.

This movie is extremely well written. The fact that it infuriated me, in this instance is not a put-down. I believe this script was designed to do so. It's infuriating because Ms. Spacek's character is so hell-bent on her intentions that nothing but nothing is going to change her mind. Ms. Bancroft's character's job is to try and stop Spacek from reaching this particular goal she's set, at any cost. This script is a good case study into the mind-set of people who are suffering from extreme depression and the skewed decisions that they might make while in the midst of that depression.

I would highly recommend this film, with the understanding that it is not your light, airy, happy-ending movie. If you're looking for one of those don't bother with this one.

Mr. Reubens' scene to prove he was in the Lone Star State by singing out the Texas National Anthem has to be the funniest thing I ever saw in a movie. Thing is, that scene(to a lesser degree perhaps) probably WOULD happen that way on any given street in Texas. Being a Texan I feel qualified to affirm this. My apologies in advance to any fellow Texans who disagree.

This is one of my favorite films of all time. Paul Reubens' uniqueness translates well into the movies, unlike so many other's "created" characters do. I believe this is due at least in part to the fact that Mr. Reubens doesn't seem to simply put on the make-up and get-up and play Pee Wee, he just becomes a whole other person called Pee Wee Herman.

The wild creativity with camera shots/angles, and the props, coupled with the silly, sometimes irreverent dialog between characters proves to be a very effective combination in this film. The phrase "tell 'em Large Marge sent ya" has become part of my vocabulary (much to the consternation of friends and family I'm afraid) since viewing this film years ago. The 'Large Marge' scene has to be my second favorite. This whole movie is a surreal, hilarious experience. The fact that it's pretty much suitable for the whole family is a cool bonus if you've got young'ens to consider when looking for a fun flick to rent.

I saw this film as a kid at the theater. I was not prepared for the impact the film would have on me. I'd never heard such silence in a a theater as prevailed during this one. It was as if everyone, myself included, were afraid to even breath. Except in the parts where we all wept. I don't know if the silence or the weeping was worse.

This is a true story that documents what happened to people who didn't get out of Viet Nam when the last military troops pulled out and went home. It centers around an American journalist and his native Vietnamese assistant who were covering the war. The American gets out right away, but his assistant has to hang on against impossible, horrifying obstacles to finally gain his freedom. The film was artfully made and each actor portrayed their part to the "nth" degree. This was the most haunting, gut wrenching movie I've ever seen - probably due to the fact that it was true and these horrid things actually happened.

I give this film a rating of 10. It is graphic and harrowing, but it tells an important story and tells it extremely well.

This film's cinematography and musical score alone make it a worthwhile experience. Both have that almost-unreal-they're-so-perfect quality that give you the good kind of goosebumps.

The story is played out so faultlessly by each of the actors in this movie that you're never for one second anything but totally enthralled and engrossed. The film's main story lines revolve around southern women, in old and modern times, and the bonds of friendship that are at once so tender and so unbreakably strong. Jessica Tandy's portrayal of Ms. Ninny Threadgood had to be my favorite if forced to choose. The way she faced life unafraid and with sympathy and humor just warmed your whole being, say nothing of your heart. But each and every actor in this film brought their very best, and no one disappointed.

I'm probably too naive, but the homosexual overtones that several friends of mine said existed in the movie were totally lost on me - perhaps because I'm lucky enough to have a precious few friendships like the ones portrayed here, and there is nothing of the sort in those friendships. I did read the book only after watching this film, and Ms. Flagg does present a totally different light on that particular subject than is in the movie - I'd recommend both the movie and the book - both are wonderful and thought provoking.

John Ritter's portrayal of Zack in this film seemed perfectly suited to his comedic style. Mr. Ritter's sense of timing and his razor sharp sarcasm is right in step here.

The physical humor in this movie is hilarious. The dialog is admittedly pretty goofy but overall harmless and well suited to this genre of film.

The 'cock-fighting' scene still makes me chuckle after all these years, although I'm a little ashamed to admit it. If you don't take yourself too seriously and are not offended by the portrayal of a womanizing fool, I'd recommend this film to brighten any dreary day.

If you're looking for a movie that will creep you out and make you think, you might like checking this film out. It is high on the goosebumps scale in my opinion.

The story line is freaky and impossible, and yet you find yourself believing an inanimate object can become human. The power of suggestion is thoroughly explored here. The actors present their characters extremely well and the editing and cinematography are very effective.

A friend rented this movie several years ago and we all agreed that it was an entertaining but deeply disturbed film - a little "too weird for this world." I'd recommend this movie to people who like to be spooked but can do without the graphic violence and gore, thank-you.

In 1997, it had been a good while since I'd seen any new movies. I had sworn off of them because I'd left so many theaters in disgust. The putrid tripe that the Hollywood "machine" had been churning out for the past decade had me holding my nose and stomach. My roommate came home one day with a rental and said simply "you've got to watch this." With a sinking feeling I agreed.

With arms crossed protectively over my body I witnessed a miracle. This couldn't be true could it? No one in or around Hollywood could've produced a movie of this quality. No way. And no one "Hollywood" did.

The fact that this movie even exists is a miracle. I could just imagine the response producers must've had to the screenplay - there's not even one exploding body part, car chase, demented love triangle or explicit sexual scene. This film doesn't need any of those things. It stands alone on the merits of the story it tells.

The story is at once completely original and somehow strangely familiar. Mr. Thornton's writing abilities really shine through in this film. The characters who people this story are so real. So sadly, poignantly and dimensionally real that it plays like a documentary of the life of a de-institutionalized mental patient rather than a fictional movie. And yet there are moments of art that go way beyond documentary. This is where Mr. Thornton's acting abilities stand out. Not only Mr. Thornton's, but every person who spoke a line in this film. The best word I can possibly use to describe this film is perfection. If by some odd chance you've not seen it yet, you owe it to yourself to do so. Quickly. Repeatedly. You won't regret it. You'll only regret that you've waited this long.

This movie is so achingly, movingly wonderful that it is hard to describe it accurately. Geraldine Page has got to be the best actress of all time. The only one I can think of who comes close is(was) Jessica Tandy. In Ms. Page's role for this film, she brings to life and light the plight that so many older, widowed people are facing daily. In the place where I work, many of our clients could easily be Ms. Carrie Watts. (I work at a Legal Aid Society). The empathy she creates as she brings Ms. Watts to life is astounding to me. She really, really "gets" it.

To be sure, John Heard's portrayal of Ms. Watt's son Lutie was flawless as well - the strain he feels trying to please both of the most important women in his life is almost palpable. Again, this is so close to real life that it breaks your heart to watch it. Carlin Glynn's portrayal of Lutie's hard-headed wife Jessie Mae brings me to tears at several points in this film, no matter how many times I watch it. You can't help but feel aggravated with her but also angry at her for her treatment of her mother-in-law. Ms. Glynn's performance was dead-on.

My mom recommended this movie to me, it is her favorite. My grandmother also loves this film. It's a generational tradition in our family. If you've never seen it PLEASE don't miss out! It is so worth the effort to find.

Because I know less than zero about air traffic controlling, I asked a friend who is one if the film was accurate in its portrayal of this particular profession. He rather grudgingly admitted that it was fairly accurate (he is somewhat grumpy because he doesn't like Billy Bob Thornton & didn't want to give him the credit). He did say that the scene involving the main characters on the runway and a big ole' airplane was far-fetched. That aside, this was a very entertaining film in my estimation.

I liked the fact that John Cusack's character (Falzone) catches nine kinds of hell because of a stupid decision that he makes. He certainly should've known better than to do what he did with Angelina Jolie's character (Mrs. Bell) & he doesn't get to walk away scott free from his idiocy. Billie Bob's character (Bell) sees so thoroughly to that that you almost feel sorry for Falzone by the end of the film - ALMOST. Watching Bell mess with Falzone's head in my opinion is the best part of this film. The interaction between these two characters is played to perfection by Thornton and Cusack. The tension and chaos portrayed within the tower was somewhat unnerving but engrossing to watch. The bomb threat scene between Bell and Falzone and the ripped-off feather is my favorite.

The leading ladies in this film (Ms.'s Blanchett and Jolie) turned in spotless performances as well in my opinion. Kudos to both for their abilities to get their respective regionalisms down pat and make them totally believable. Considering that Jolie grew up in New York and plays a southerner, and Blanchett is an Aussie and plays a New Yorker, and you never stop during the story to question where they're really from speaks volumes of their acting abilities. I disagree with one of the other reviewers who state that these ladies talents were wasted in this film; they had simple parts to play and they both played them with simple, understated perfection. All in all an entertaining, sometimes funny and absorbing film. Ya'll go get it.

But it never did. I was so excited that Mr. Yoakam had gotten this opportunity to be the be-all, do-all, end-all on a film project. Couldn't wait to see his directorial debut. Most of the players listed on the roster were people who's work I'd seen before and admired.

The movie started off well enough. The musical score was kind of weird, but not so bad that you couldn't hang with it. The cinematography was respectable. After about 20 minutes though, the plot twists off in some strange direction, and stops making sense. About 1/2 way through the movie you begin to doubt your sanity and wonder if it EVER made sense. Characters come and go so fast that you never get to decide whether you like them or hate them. Characters show up throughout the film in disjointed places and seem to have no rhyme or reason.

This film is intriguing and very strange. Kind of reminds me of an old John Prine album - that's probably why I liked it. In spite of, or perhaps because of its peculiarities would I recommend it. But don't bother if you're bugged by a movie that leaves the ending up to whatever you're able to conclude in your head.

So I will keep this particular comment very brief. Yuck. The worst movie I've ever seen, not even excepting 'Plan 9 from Outer Space' - which is at least so bad that it's uproariously funny. I so wanted to find ANYTHING in this movie that I could say something positive about. Racking my brain, all I can come up with is this; it's been years since I've seen it, and thinking about it even now kinda makes me want to puke. My apologies to Tarantino fans.

This WonderWorks/Disney collaboration is without equal. The movie is timeless, classic, and otherwise wonderful. The cinematography alone is reason enough to see this film. The full of life tale that is woven in and around the achingly beautiful footage of Prince Edward Island is perfect. Lucy Maude Montgomery's very soul seems to shine through in this film, the characters she created have grown flesh and bones and are given three dimensions here. Every actor got their part to the "nth" degree. Each person is so good in their role that to single out a particular actor as being the best would be impossible.

If you are a lover of ageless fictional literature, children's or otherwise, you must see this film, as well as it's sequels, all of which are similarly fantastic.